Aoraki Dragon Boat
Association (Inc)
Christchurch, NZ

Team Profile:

Beca "Crewsaders"

Formed in 2006 – 07, Beca are a highly-qualified, crack team of, well, not paddlers, anyway! The majority of the squad are Beca employees: a variety of engineers, planners, scientists, draftsmen, administrators and ranging from recent graduates to senior managers. In addition, we’ve roped in a few friends to help keep the boat moving forwards. No matter who, though, in the boat we’re all equal - following the calls from Tracy (caller) and Judd (sweep).

Since Beca started paddling four seasons ago, they have gone from being a rabble to now being a competitive squad. In 2007 – 08, Crewsaders finished second in the Corporate grade of both the Early Bird regatta and the South Island Nationals. In 2008 – 09, it was first and second respectively. So this season, they’re expecting the trend to continue, and go one better…

Much of the credit for our improvement must go to a hard core of long-serving team members.

• First, there’s Mel Foster who, up until last season, was the team manager and organiser (and not for nothing is her nickname “Boozy Chick”).
• Then there’s Brett Christie (the team’s own Duracell battery) - he may looks like he’s on performance-enhancing drugs but that’s his normal state of hyper-activity.
• And at the back of the boat with the long, flowing, blond locks is Judd Stanton (NB: happily married with children), our sweep and, as of this season, our assistant coach.
• Finally, there’s our coach, Andy Lash. Although he said he was resigning at the end of last season, he’s still coming back to squeeze yet more effort out of us- he just can’t keep away...

Andy must have been able to see some promise in the rabble that was the early Crewsaders and, through his expert guidance, has transformed the team into what we’ve got today.

Key Team players:

• Ian Macbeth (manager)
• Judd Stanton (sweep)
• Andy Lash (coach)

Long servers:

• Mel Foster
• Brett Christie
• Judd Stanton
• Andy Lash
• Andrew Jackson
• Nik Stewart
• Ben Johnson

Crewsaders are grateful for the ongoing support from Beca

Other teams:

• Abreast of Life
• Airways Paddlateers
• Canterbury Paddling Club (CPC)
• Evacut Express
• Fei Long TNG
• Ridge Riders U23
• Tu Meke Dragons
• Hillmorton High
• Christchurch Girls High
• St Margaret’s College
• Avonside Girls